Thalassemia Treatment Cost In India

Thalassemia is an inherited blood disorder that impairs the production of hemoglobin and healthy red blood cells in the body. Alpha and beta thalassemia are two types. Thalassemia is genetically transmitted, which means that at least one of your parents must be a carrier. It is caused by a genetic mutation or the loss of specific gene segments. Thalassemia can induce anemia and fatigue-like symptoms that range from mild to severe. 

The treatment for thalassemia frequently involves a bone marrow transplantation, thus the prices are very significant; however, India is one of the most affordable countries for medical procedures. The cost of thalassemia treatment in India is relatively low. The cost may also vary depending on other aspects such as the number of tourists, the country from which one is traveling, and the number of days spent for thalassemia treatment in India.

What is Thalassemia?

Thalassemia is a hereditary (passed down from parents to children via genes) blood disorder that occurs when the body does not produce enough hemoglobin, a protein that is an essential component of red blood cells. When there is inadequate hemoglobin, the body’s red blood cells do not function efficiently and live for shorter periods of time, resulting in fewer healthy red blood cells moving in the bloodstream.

Red blood cells transport oxygen to all cells in the body. Oxygen is a type of nutrition that cells have been using to function. When there aren’t enough healthy red blood cells, there isn’t enough oxygen distributed to the rest of the body’s cells, which might make you feel fatigued, weak, or short of breath. This is known as anemia. Thalassemia can cause mild or severe anemia. Severe anemia can harm organs and cause death.

To describe the severity of the disorder, thalassemia is categorized as a trait, minor, intermedia, or major. These labels describe a range in which having a thalassemia trait means you may have moderate anemic symptoms or none at all. You might not require medical attention. Thalassemia major is the most serious type and usually requires ongoing treatment.

There are two types of thalassemia:

• Alpha thalassemia: You inherit four genes that produce alpha globin protein chains, two from each parent. Alpha thalassemia occurs when one or more genes are defective. The amount of defective genes you inherit determines whether or not you have anemia symptoms and, if so, how severe they must be.
• Beta thalassemia: You got one beta-globin gene from each parent. Your anemia symptoms and the severity of your disease are determined by the number of defective genes and the position of the deficiency in the beta-globin protein chain.

What are the Symptoms of Thalassemia?

Thalassemia symptoms differ significantly depending on the case and are mostly determined by the degree of the mutation of the genes involved in the creation of hemoglobin protein chains. Thalassemias can cause no symptoms in their mildest form and can be fatal in their most severe form.

The symptoms listed below only relate to intermediate to severe cases of Thalassemia. These are only the most obvious symptoms. Depending on the type of Thalassemia, very particular symptoms may appear.

1. Asymptomatic (no symptoms)

If you are missing one alpha gene, you are not likely to develop symptoms. You may be asymptomatic if you lack two alpha genes or one beta gene. You may also experience moderate anemia symptoms such as fatigue. It is a common symptom of Thalassemia. A shortage of hemoglobin can result in a variety of further symptoms, including:

• Tiredness
• Shortness of breath
• Pallor
• Pain

2. Mild to Moderate

Beta thalassemia intermedia can cause mild anemia or the following symptoms associated with more severe disease:

• Growth issues
• Puberty is delayed.
• A type of bone abnormality known as “osteoporosis”
• A spleen enlargement 
• Skeletal disorders may require surgery in the future. If your spleen becomes too large, your doctor may need to remove it.

3. Severe Symptoms

The lack of three alpha genes (Hemoglobin H disorder) frequently results in anemic symptoms from birth and leads to severe lifelong anemia. Beta thalassemia major (Cooley’s anemia) frequently causes severe anemic symptoms by the age of two. Severe anemia symptoms include those associated with mild to moderate conditions. Other symptoms may include:

• Appetite problems
• Skin that is pale or yellowish (jaundice)
• Urine with a dark or tea-colored tint
• The irregular bone structure in your face

What are the Causes of Thalassemia?

Thalassemias are hereditary conditions. They are caused by a change in one or more genes involved in hemoglobin synthesis, more specifically, the genes involved in the formation of hemoglobin protein chains. There are four of these: two alpha chains and two beta chains.

In the event of Thalassemia, any of these chains can be compromised. There are also the following:

• Alpha thalassemias are distinguished by an alteration of the alpha chain, whereas beta thalassemias are distinguished by an alteration of the beta chain.
• The severity of alpha and beta thalassemia major treatment is determined by the number of mutated genes. The greater the importance, the greater the severity.

If only one of your parents is a carrier of thalassemia, you may acquire a type of disease known as thalassemia minor. If this happens, you will most likely not experience symptoms, but you will be a carrier. Some persons who have thalassemia minor experience minimal symptoms. If both of your parents are thalassemia carriers, you are more likely to inherit a more severe version of the disease.

Thalassemia is more widespread in Asian, Middle Eastern, African, and Mediterranean countries such as Greece and Turkey.

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